The Salon International du Livre de Monaco will return to the Grimaldi Forum for its 15th anniversary edition on 5th and 6th September. Organised by the association Les Rencontres Littéraires Fabian Boisson, the Mediterranean-focused cultural event brings together authors, academics, and researchers across multiple disciplines.
True to its roots, the fair connects different types of writing, from novels to essays, and links modern ideas with history. The upcoming schedule includes more than 20 conferences, small group debates, and open-mic sessions designed to let the public talk directly with authors.
Official patronage and cultural commitment
The event operates under the High Patronage of Prince Albert II, who champions the growth of arts and letters in the Principality. Citing Jean Cocteau, the Prince said that art forms a procession of solitudes that yield an incalculable force when united.
New additions: The Sports Book Prize and Himalayan expeditions
This year introduces the inaugural Sports Book Prize (Le Prix du Livre Sportif), an addition created to evaluate the relationship between physical competition and literature. The jury is chaired by mountaineer and author Orianne Aymard.
Complementing the new prize, the organisation has integrated live transmissions from Aymard’s active expedition in the Himalayas as she ascends Mount Manaslu, linking the physical theater of high-altitude mountaineering directly to the festival’s academic programming.
Remembering Sylvana Lorenz
This year’s fair will also pause to remember the late author and art dealer Sylvana Lorenz, a regular guest at past events. Organisers and readers will pay tribute to her life, her warm connection to the festival, and her notable literary works — including her celebrated books on the fashion icon Pierre Cardin (Madame Cardin and Pierre Cardin: Son fabuleux destin) as well as her vibrant memoirs chronicling her life as an art gallerist (L’art est une partie de plaisir).
Keynote highlights and notable guests
The 2026 lineup features many well-known writers and thinkers, including physicist Étienne Klein, novelist Emmanuelle de Boysson, and political scientist Gilles Kepel. A main highlight of the Literary Cafés will be a talk by former diplomat Hubert Védrine, who will discuss global changes from a Mediterranean point of view.
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Photo credit: Berna – Pexels